For the ninth holiday season in a row, Arkansas businessman and philanthropist Jennings Osborne and his family will be coordinating with the staff of Graceland and Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) to follow the wonderful example that Elvis set by providing Christmas cheer and joy to his fans and the needy. The Osbornes have provided holiday lighting to many properties around the country through the years and for the past eight years have brought elaborate displays to the visitor centre across the street from Graceland as an annual gift to their fellow Elvis fans. This year, the Osbornes and the EPE staff, have focused their efforts on making it a special Christmas for the families of Presley Place and the other MIFA's Festival Communities locations in Memphis. The Osbornes and EPE feel certain that Elvis would approve.

The Osbornes will provide a special Christmas delivery to each one of the 88 families on the campuses of MIFA. They will also host a Christmas dinner for all MIFA residents and staff. At Presley Place there will be a touch of Osborne Christmas Lights on the front gates and and inside each unit all families will receive a 6 ft Elvis styled white Christmas tree with blue lights and ornaments and a gift of Osborne Christmas cheer in memory of Elvis.

Presley Place is a 12-unit apartment property, one of several such "campuses" that are part of the outstanding Estival Communities program created and managed by the Metropolitan Inter-faith Association (MIFA) in Memphis. The building of Presley Place was funded by The Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation, which has also funded its ongoing operation. The foundation also funds the Elvis Presley Music Room, where the youngsters of Presley Place and all the other Festival campuses may enjoy access to musical instruments and instruction and participate in special related programs. MIFA's Festival Communities program provides qualifying homeless families up to one year of rent-free housing in the apartments on its various campuses and provides a comprehensive program of child day care, career and financial counselling, family management guidance and other tools to help them break the cycle of poverty and regain self-esteem and independence.

Source: EPE